Discussion Thread -- JANUARY 2021 -- 300 Word Writing Challenge #40!

[Parson]

@Peter V .... Beyond the Smoking Mirror .... Sometimes death is the greatest and best escape.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Peter V: By beginning this story as realistic, even "hard" science fiction, the author strengthens the impact of the more fantastic events that follow. The combination of the two leads to a profoundly moving conclusion.

 

[Bren G]

Struggling with this one ! January tends to emit my creativity like light escaping a black hole. Spent a lot of time on a story but can’t seem to get the ending right. Going to scrap it and start fresh tomorrow. But time is ticking !

 

[Parson]

@Bren G .... Lost in Love .... An escape from grief receives a ghostly love shove.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Bren G: The author walks a very thin line between sincere emotion and sentimentality, always staying on the proper side, in this bittersweet tale of loss and memory. The lesson it teaches, that we must struggle to accept things that are not in our power to control, is a vital one.

 

[Parson]

@Mouse .... The Interview ....
It's a lyrical journey;
toward death not debt.
All a bit scary for me,
I'll make it, just not yet.

 

[Parson]

@Heijan Xavier .... Failure of Fear .... Here's a clever twist on common expectation of what the "Failure of Fear" means.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Mouse: This journey deep into the mind of one haunted by guilt exhibits a profound insight of psychology on the part of the author. The use of internal rhyme further draws the reader in, as if the words formed a hypnotic whirlpool.

Heijan Xavier: The contrast between an exotic setting and emotional turmoil to which we can all relate creates the powerful impact of this story. An important reminder that one does not need to be free from imperfections to be of value lies at its heart.

 

[Parson]

@Topher .... You, doctor .... Sometimes who's speaking is more important than what they are actually saying.

 

[Parson]

@M. Robert Gibson .... Kajar and the Emerald God's Head .... Reading is one thing, understanding another, but the real test is believing and putting the belief into action.

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Well at the last moment I have released my muse to write my story.

 

[Parson]

@therapist .... The Stoneman .... What looks like selfless sacrifice might be something very other.

@chrispenycate .... The Stoneman .... Is seeing believing? Should it be? Do I want it to be?

@Ian Fortytwo .... I was tied to a tree .... Some horror is beyond the words to describe.

 

[The Judge]

As regular entrants to the 300 Worder will know, the Challenge always ends on the last day of the month.

Unfortunately an attack of senility meant that when the Challenge thread was posted, which involved copying and pasting, although the year and month were changed in the opening post, the day of the month got forgotten...

Which just goes to show that either no one reads what I damn well post (not even me... ) or everyone thinks January only has 30 days, not 31.

Anyhow, the error has now been corrected, and the Challenge will indeed end on the 31st.


Which means that those who haven't yet posted a story now have no excuse whatsoever, as you've another whole day to write it in. So get writing.

 

[Phyrebrat]

I’m very relieved to hear it. I was beside myself with concern, your Hon. Beside myself!

 

[Parson]

@Perpetual Man .... Another Toy Story .... A child's toy in another's eyes might not have the same emotional impact.

***It's hard to imagine a 300 word story that would leave me chuckling after looking at that mask, but, Perp managed to do it.

 

[The Judge]

I'm in. I had no ideas whatsoever with that mask, so have resorted to revisiting J Daw & Jack, but this time there are no hidden birds since I struggled to get the plot in, let alone sundry swift but aukwardly contrived sentences.

As before, I've committed font-ery. The best way to read the story is with Kristen ITC font showing, so if it doesn't look like a 5 year old has written it, you're missing out!

 

[Parson]

Parson goes to read the Judge's story wondering what kind of scribbling he's about to see

@The Judge .... Postcards Home from Merlyn’s Mage School on its Extended Field Trip .... A story which proves a an old saying: "Actions speak louder than words" and a why a question becomes rhetorical: "Why's everybody always picking on me?"

*Reading that story brought me back to public school teaching days.

@Ursa major .... The Travails of a Toothless God .... Somehow this story reminds me of the Game Stop story making the rounds. The little guy finds a way to stick it to the local god. But is it actually going to work?

 

[Peter V]

@The Judge

A bit of the old Smoking Mirror too eh?

 

[Ursa major]

​

This challenge is now closed and so the voting is open.

To cast your THREE votes, use the link below.

Please vote for your top THREE choices; note that all three votes must be cast AT THE SAME TIME to count.​

​

 

[JS Wiig]

@Jo Zebedee

@paranoid marvin

@Victoria Silverwolf

@Cat's Cradle

@sule

@Mouse

@Topher

@Marvin